Ah it may not be that good a deal. When I run CC cleaner at the end of each day to delete all the c**p that the internet puts on you computer after a little surfing. It easily comes up with 50 mb - so if they charge 60 cents a MB this is going to get expensive.

I am beginning to understand where Alan is coming from that these 3G dongles are expensive. And the fact that no one has come forward to recommend one probably supports this premise.

By the way the bar in Palalda doen't offer wifi acces any more so that is another option that has disappeared.

How far apart are our homes. Alan says with his super antenna he can pick up connections 500m away. Could you leave your system on so we can get a connection from your wifi setup? We'll make it worth you while?

While we are on the subject. I went into an electrical shop this afternoon because they had the SFR sign outside. I thought they might be able to elaborate on that 10 euros a month deal you mentioned to have a 3G cle but also have unlimited acces to SFR wifi.

He spoke good english and was adamant that I didn't need to buy it and that I had to go to the Amelie tourist office and they would give me the username and password to access the SFR wifi. It can't be that simple can it? If it was that easy why would anyone pay for broadband?

While we are on the subject. I went into an electrical shop this afternoon because they had the SFR sign outside. I thought they might be able to elaborate on that 10 euros a month deal you mentioned to have a 3G cle but also have unlimited acces to SFR wifi.

He spoke good english and was adamant that I didn't need to buy it and that I had to go to the Amelie tourist office and they would give me the username and password to access the SFR wifi. It can't be that simple can it? If it was that easy why would anyone pay for broadband?

Ian

They would pay for broadband because they don't live next to a hotspot.

There is every chance the guy is right, I don't suppose that SFR would approve but usernames and passwords are often handed around. Most providers do nothing to prevent simultaneous users logging in.

Allan, yes I do have broadband - at a very dependable 8mgbs. I've just never felt the need to deploy the wi-fi option in the Amelie flat. It's so small, and there's usually just me in it, so I've always been more than happy to use the laptop in the one fixed spot. However, when I finally succumb to the ipad2 bug, that may all change!

Ian, did you get anywhere with a password from the tourist board? Actually, thinking about, with so many curistes coming to Amelie, maybe the town is happy to offer free wi-fi. Also, when I was researching hotspots in Amelie, the Lion D'Or hotel kept coming up, along with the campsite nearby. You're probably in line of site of both.

I have been reading back over this thread and I agree it is so frustrating... I have numerous wifi hotspots for neuf wifi and sfr around me but do you think I can find a way to log in to them?

I have just been told I need the telephone number of the person who has this form of wifi box and then a special password in order to access these hot spots.

Once again I will ask if there if there are any Forum members willing to share their details with me so I can access this type of wifi hotspot... I am fed up of having to always to go a MacDonalds to get a signal. I really do think the phone companies have missed a potential revenue earner here and could make it alot easier for all. I am happy to pay a small fee for the ability to access a wifi hotspot.

I too have BT Fon but it never seems to work and it no longer free. There seems to be no other way to connect to Hotspots. I even paid for International 3G connection last time I was in residence and this was no easier and was prohibitively expensive.

It is either the "Découverte” internet package that has been mentioned previously. There is an English speaking help line which I shall probably try tomorrow. I think all will depend on how practical it is to keep starting and suspending the service in time for holidays.

The other is the basic 3G package for 10 euros a month that comes with free SFR wifi. I get a reasonably good signal for SFR wifi in the flat and knowing the costs are fixed is in its favour. But signing up for 24 months with out proof it works is a worry.

If anyone following this thread has experience of SFR wifi Public please contact me.

I have an SFR internet connection through the internet phone line but in the appartement downstairs, the rental clients use the wifi connection. I have done this now for approx. a year and there have been no problems at all.
As an internet server they have been the best. I have used france telecom, orange and then tele2 which was taken over by SFR. Hope this helps.

Ian, could you let me know how you get on with the English speaking helpline re the Decouverte package please? Possibly give me the telephone number too?
As previously mentioned we are going to try to get this in May when we are next down but if I can organise it over the phone before then, then so much the better.
Thanks and good luck!

I have phoned the English speaking help line today 0969363900. Option 1 is technical, Option 2 is Billing. The Billing dept changed me to decouverte tariff immediately so I have saved about 6 euros a month. Frakly I think I was on the decoverte tariff anyway since I only get download speeds of 1000 kbs. So France Telecom have been taking me to the cleaners for years I suspect.

Regarding the concept of activating/suspending the system as and when you are here I am none the wiser. The techy guy implied you just phone as and when a few days in advance of a change. But the billing dept who are the people you would have to communicate with say you need to write 3 weeks in advance to head office in triplicate, with birth certificate and blood samples and 7 affidavits from notaires from all continents on the planet, I exaggerate a tiny bit but you get the idea.

Whether this is just a ruse to discourage people from doing it I have no idea. We need someone who has done it/doing it to tell us what the process is.

So we have saved 6 euros a month which while OK not enough.. Next holiday I am going to explore the SFR wifi prospect via the 3G contract.

But enough computing grief, the sun is shining so we’re off out to enjoy it

At the end of last holiday Allan had helped us with presenting us with various possibilities of having wifi at a cheaper cost than the livebox connection.

We had tried to reduce our broadband costs by moving to a different tariff etc through that English speaking helpline. None of that helped because they just sent loads of documents to the French address, which we didn’t know about so of course we continued to pay top price! (Why would they do that when they send all their other correspondence to us in the UK.) So am not really able to judge whether changing tariff and using our own modem would have been good for us – I still think it would only have saved a few euros.

Because we get a strong signal for SFR wifi in our apartment we have taken the plunge and signed up for 10euros a month for 2 years, (that 1/3 price of livebox), for 3G+ key and free SFR wifi.

A couple of very helpful young women in the SFR shop in Perpignan, (speaking English too which was good for techy French language idiots like us), sorted us out and did the installation. And it all appears to work wonderfully. Obviously we will use the free wifi bit the most but the 3G signal is very strong and works well despite being told 3G is not good in the Vallespir.

Hope to give the system a sound thrashing in the next couple of days and then go back to the Orange shop with the livebox and terminate that arrangement.

Not saying this will be a good option for anybody else since it relies on being close to a neighbour with good SFR wifi signal.

The FON system would have been the best but I went round all the FON hotspots published on the internet in Amelie but have yet to find one active, let alone accessible from the apartment. Perhaps that might change in the future.

Thanks Allan for being clear and concise - and for all your help before.

rhys - you should also check out if there FON hotspots near your place in the PO because if they appear as available wifi connection on your computer and you are a BT customer in the UK then you could get wifi for free.

My laptop has WiFi capability which I would like to use in my apartment [in Centre Ville] using a dongle from one of the big Internet providers using a Pay-As-You-Go plan. I come from Australia so I will only need the connection for the 6 weeks in Amelie.

Which of the 3 big providers has the best coverage in this area - or how do I find out? Any advice on which plan would suit my needs best would be greatly appreciated.